Room service heater



Aug. 16, 1966 A. c. SCAVULLO 3,256,432

ROOM SERVICE HEATER Filed March 17, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Ange/0 6. Scam/U0 BY 2% Aim? H/S ATTORNEY Aug. 16, 1966 Filed March 17, 1964 A. C. SCAVULLO ROOM SERVICE HEATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Ange/0 6. Scam/#0 H/S ATTORNEY r 3,266,482 Patented August 16, 1966 3,266,482 ROOM SERVICE HEATER Angelo C. Scavullo, Jamaica, N.Y., assignor to Legion Utensils (10., Inc., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 352,480 7 Claims. (Cl. 126-475) My invention, relating generally to hotel, rest-home, hospital and like equipment, is particularly concerned with portable room service equipment, especially a room service heater and a transporting table or cart therefor.

An object of my invention is to provide, in combination, a room service heater removably secured, in direct and simple manner, to a related portable and anti-friction transporting table in such locking engagement therewith as to effectively avoid any substantial possibility of relative motion between the parts of the assembly during transport, all with characteristic simplicity, in the substantial absence of movable parts, and at minimum cost, both in production and maintenance, consistent with requisite durability.

A further object of my invention is to provide a portable room service heater the essential parts of which are themselves largely of one-piece construction, and which heater, light in weight and simple, sturdy andrugged in construction and readily cleanable, locks readily, directly and removably and in the substantial absence of relative motion, to a related transporting portable serving table.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will in part be obvious and in part more fully pointed out during the course of the following description, particularly as considered in the light of the accompanying drawings.

Accordingly my invention may be considered as residing in the various features of construction, the combination of elements, the arrangement of parts, and in the relation and combination of each of the same to and with one or more of the others, the scope of the application of which invention is more fully recited in the claims which follow this disclosure.

In the several views of the drawings, wherein I have disclosed that embodiment of my invention which I prefer at present,

FIG. 1 discloses, in exploded elevation, the combination of room service heater and transporting serving table according to my invention, the heater being shown in skelton form to better illustrate certain features of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the room service heater of my invention with open door, displaying its interior and with trays removed for simplicity of disclosure;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 comprise, respectively, a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2, a rear elevation view, and a bottom plan view of my heater;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view fragmentary and skeltonized, disclosing that portion of the portable table of my invention which particularly cooperates with undertable storage of my room service heater in removably locking engagement with the underframe of the table, the server being disclosed as being in the process of being placed upon or removed from the table; while FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view, generally similar to FIG. 6, but disclosing the locking and positioning elements of the room service heater fully engaging and interlocking with the related portion of the underframe of the transporting table.

Throughout the several views of the drawings like reference characters denote like structural parts.

As conducive to a more ready understanding of my invention, it may here be noted that although portable room service heaters have long been known in the art, and while a variety of transporting tables, carts, wagons and dollys have been employed in handling such heaters, nevertheless certain important and fundamental defects, characteristic of such equipment, have effectively resisted complete acceptance of such equipment. Illustratively, while servers with hand lifts have been employed, the waiter or other user also separately carries a collapsible table or trestle. Here the burden is placed upon him to carry the complete assembly, being denied the relief attending anti-friction transport. Recalling that, as relates to room service in hotel, restaurant, hospital or office building, by way of typical illustration, transport from kitchen to service area quite likely will be over substantial reach. And further, the particular waiter on room service call will in all likelihood have many such services in the course of a relative small interval of time. It is at once apparent, therefore, that formidable practical obstacles interpose.

While it has also been proposed to trundle the room service heater from kitchen to service area on a portable cart or table, hitherto these two units, heater and table, have been entirely separate and apart from each other. Sudden stops and jolts quite likely will occasion relative motion between the two units, even to the extent of upsetting the heater. Or tilting of the heater may occur, attended by upset.

Quite likely efforts have hitherto been made to tie together table and heater. So far as can be ascertained, however, no room service facilities have been proposed Where the room service is removably and directly locked to a related transporting and anti-frictional table, and capable of resisting, when in assembly, relative movement between the component units.

An important object of my invention, therefore, is to overcome the disadvantages and defects heretofore existing in the art, and in so doing, provide both the combination of a new portable room service heater and a related antifrictional transporting table to which the heater is removably and directly locked against detrimental relative motion therebetween during transport, and the portable food service heater itself, responding fully to the several demands hereinbefore recited.

And now, having reference to the heater combination of my invention attention is directed to the several views of the drawings. My room service heater in its entirety is indicated generally at 10, while the related transporting table is indicated generally at 11. Heater 10 comprises a main compartment 12 and a door 13. Both the main compartment and the door or cover are preferably constructed of stainless steel. Where desired, however, aluminum may be employed. I prefer stainless steel, however, both for sanitary reasons and for durability and appearance. Aluminum heaters are especially light in weight and are preferred where weight is the dominant factor.

Door 13 is suitably hinged to body 12 at 14, a stainless steel piano hinge preferably being employed for this purpose, spot-welded in place. I provide a removable spring latch 15 on a selected one of main compartment 12 and door 13, here shown as mounted on compartment 12. Complemental locking dog 16 is provided on the other of the two parts of heater 10, here illustrated as mounted on door 13. It may be noted that elongated stainless steel pins 17 (FIGS. 2 and 3) are provided on the sides and back of compartment 12 for carrying shelves (not shown) which are mounted in the heater 10. Where desired, other suitable material may be employed for pins 17. I prefer to weld pins 17 interiorly of body 12. To prevent food content of heater 10 from sweating or steaming I provide air vent holes 18, typically ten in number, along the sides and back of compartment 12.

Heater may be carried by a selected number of carrying handles 19 disclosed exteriorly of the top of compartment 12. Neither the number nor type of handle, nor the material from which they are constructed, are critical. Typically, and as shown, I provide three such handles. These are of such construction that, while securely attaching to the top side of compartment 12, nevertheless they are easy to grip and move freely in related open faced retainers 19a made fast to the top of compartment 12 as by welding.

Req-uisite heat may be provided during transport in a number of suitable ways. Illustratively, it is feasible to provide the shelves of compartment 12 with a container (not disclosed) for hot pellets, disposed fast to the underside of one or more such shelves. Preferably, however, I provide a fuel receptacle spot-welded or otherwise conveniently secured to interior floor 12A of compartment 12 for the reception of a source of fuel, such as a can of solid alcohol. Door 13 is provided (FIG. 3) with handle 21.

Having reference now more particularly to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, I provide paired ski-slides 22, 22 made fast to main compartment 12, along the back 123 thereof (FIG. 3). More specifically, vertical extensions 22A of ski-slides 22, 22 extend upwardly along the lower outer face of back of main compartment (the extensions 22A assuming normal orientation of the heater) and are secured to such back 12B in desired convenient manner, as by spot-welding. At the back compartment 12 vertical arms 22A of the ski-slides project downwardly for a suitable distance below bottom 12A of compartment 12, conveniently about one inch, and are then inturned, on a radius of sufficient magnitude effectively to avoid sharp corners, to project forwardly, along the longitudinal depth of compartment 12 (i.e. from back to front). The major extent of ski-slides 22, 22 is in a generally horizontal direction, assuming normal orientation of the heater as employed in service. This is indicated generally at 23 (FIGS. 3, 6 and 7). At a convenient point along the longitudinal extent 23, the skislides are bowed upwardly as indicated at 23A (FIG. 3) to provide a locking detent. The forward ends 23B of the ski-slides (FIGS. 3 and 5), ends which closely underlie and contact the exterior bottom of the main compartment 12 near the front thereof, may either be secured in desired suitable manner to the bottom of the heater or may be free thereof, serving as a support therefor.

Main compartment 12 preferably is deep drawn in manner to provide exterior flange 24 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which, with normal orientation of heater 10, extends in a vertical plane outwardly from the well portion of main compartment 12 (see FIG. 2), and serves as a bearing face or surface against which abuts complemental flange 25 on door 13.

I provide an elongated angle member 26 (see FIGS. 3, 5, 6 and 7) which extends across the open-mouthed front of main compartment 12, at the underside thereof and immediately rearwardly of bottom rim or flange 24. Vertical portion 26A of this angle member is secured to the back-side of flange 24 in desired suitable manner as by spot-welding, while the bottom or horizontal portion 26B of angle 26 extends rearwardly along and in spaced relation to the bottom of main compartment 12. The spacing of leg portion 26B from the bottom of compartment 12 preferably is the same as that of the spaced portion of the longitudinal extent 23 of ski-slides 22, 22 (see FIG. 3).

I provide a second locking device 27 at the center rear of the exterior bottom of main compartment 12, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. This locking device, which I term an I-beam member (since in section, it has generally the shape of an I-beam) typically may be built up of fabricated constnuction, it being sufficient that desired dual, outwardly-faced and opposed openings 28, 28 be provided (FIGS. 4 and 6), extending from opposite sides of the central web of Iabeam 27, the purpose of which will shortly be developed. Locking device 27 is made fast to the underside of compartment 12 in desired suitable manner as by spot-welding.

The related table, cart or wagon 11 which I employ in combination with heater 10 may assume a variety of different shapes and forms, subject only to certain structural details of the underframe thereof, shortly to be described. Such table, illustratively, may have collapsible Wing portions. Typically, the carriage of the table comprises a horizontal tubular frame, extending longitudinally and in spaced relation to its related table top. The horizontal tubular underframe, indicated generally at 29 in FIG. 6, is bifurcated at each end thereof, thereby providing outwardly flaring arms 30, 30 (FIGS. 6 and 7). Bifurcated arms 30, 30 each terminates at its outer extremity in a laterally and outwardly extending bearing arm 31, 31. Each such bearing arm is made fast, in desired and conventional manner, to conventional table legs 11A, themselves preferably being of tubular construction. From inspection of FIGS. 6 and 7, it will be seen that underframe 29 preferably comprises, along the major part of its extent, paired and like tubular elements 29A, 29A disposed side by side and preferably secured together in desired suitable manner as by spot-welding. Elements 29A, 29A may, however, be comprised of a single piece of metal where desired. Legs 11A, 11A of cart 11 terminate in suitable anti-friction caster rollers 32, 32.

In the mounting of heater 10 on table 11, with shelves properly positioned on pins 17 within heater 10, and removably locked in conventional manner against forward displacement, I ignite the fuel in receptable 20 and close door 13, latching it shut by means of latch 15 and dog 16. The heater is lifted from the kitchen table, or other station at which the heater is serviced by way of handles 19 and is carried to the associated transporting table 11, positioned nearby. With heater carried vertically and back 12B of compartment 12 disposed towards and outwardly from the related end of underframe 29 of table 12, the rear horizontal portions 23, 23 of the ski-slides 22, 22 are rested atop the outwardly flaring arms 30, 30 of underframe 29, 29 with heater 10 approximately centered, by eye, with the longitudinal center of the underframe 29 of table 11. This positions the I-beam locking device 27 in such manner that, upon further bodily and sliding movement of heater 10 towards the underframe 29 of table 11, the openings 28, 28 of locking device 27, contoured to engage thereabout, lockingly abut the related arms 30, 30 near the head or yoke portion thereof, where these arms come together. Such further movement of heater 10 relative to transporting table 11 also causes those portions of the longitudinal extent 23 of ski-slides 22, 22 which are spaced from the bottom of heater 10, to ride inwardly of (in a longitudinal direction) and beyond the flared arms 30, 30 of underframe 29. Therefore, as a second phase of installing the heater 10 on table 11, these arms 30, 30 are engaged by the slanted or bowed portions 23A, 23A of the ski-slides. This action causes the heater 10 to move bodily downwardly (in a vertical direction) onto the underframe 29 of table 11. Further movement of heater 10 causes the forward ends 23B, 23B of ski-slides 22, 22 to ride over and rest upon the arms 30, 30. The relative motion between heater and table is continued until angle 26 on the bottom front of the compartment 12 of heater 10 abuts bearing arms 31, 31 of underframe 29, with downwardly suspended vertical portion 26A of angle 26 engaging the front portions of arms 31, 31, and horizontal portion 26B of angle 26 underlying and locking against arms 31, 31 (see FIG. 7).

Heater 10 is now effectively yet removably locked against motion relative to the underframe 29 of the table 11, and this, in both horizontal and vertical planes. The I-beam member 27 and abutting arms 30, 30 resist forward motion of the heater, inwardly of table 11. This resistance against forward motion of the heater, is further implemented by angle 26 abutting against bearing arms 31, 31. The locking detents 23A, 23A incorporated in the ski-slides 22, 22, abutting the same arms 30, 30, resist rearward motion of the heater, in a direction away from the underframe 29. Lateral or sidewise motion of the heater relative to underframe 29 is effectively combatted through the central web or leg 27A of I-beam 27 abutting a related arm 30, 30 of underframe 29, this action being contributed by a particular detent portion 23A of the paired ski-slides contacting its related arm 30 of the underframe 29. Illustratively, should heater 10 tend to move to the right in FIG. 7, it is the right-hand side of web 27A which abuts the left face of the right-hand arm 30, while it is the left-hand locking device 23A which abuts the leftside of the left-hand one of the flaring arms 30, 30. The action is just the opposite should the heater tend to move to the left relative to underframe 29.

With any tendency toward rearward movement of the heater, away from undercarriage 29, as had upon sudden stop or jolt of table 11, the slanting locking detents 23A, 23A are sufficient to resist this rearward movement of the heater. The detents 23A, 23A also contribute to the ease of dismantling the heater from the underframe.

Downward vertical movement of the heater relative to table 11 is effectively resisted through the combined action of both the top horizontal legs of the *I-beam locking member 27 and the horizontal portion 263 of locking angle locking, against flared arms 30, 30 on the one hand, and against bearing arms 31, 31, on the other.

To remove the heater from the table, either at the room service area or at the kitchen, is a matter of but a moment, and involves an action just the reverse of that which has been described. To this end, heater 10 is pulled bodily forward (to the right in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7) and away from underframe 29 of table 11. This disengages both the I-beam locking member 27 from arms 30, 30, and locking angle 26 from the arms 31, 31. The bowed locking detents 23A, 23A included in the skislides 22, 22 ride upwardly over the related arms 30, 30. Continued movement of heater 10 completely disengages the latter from underframe 29.

Thus it will be seen that I provide in my invention a new room service heater-transporting table combination wherein the objects and advantages hereinbefore set forth are fully realized. The heater can be readily transported with but little eifort and in anti-friction manner from one point to another. Moreover, the heater can, with equal readiness, be locked rem-ovably fast to the related transporting table so as to effectively resist relative movement therebetween during transport, both in generally horizontal and general vertical planes, all in simple and direct manner. When desired, the heater can be disengaged from the table with like facility. As well, the heater which I have disclosed embodies novel locking features contributing to the ready assembly, locking and disassembly of the heater to its related table. The heater and the related parts of its transporting table are simple, rugged, of long useful life, and easy to retain in a condition of requisite sterility. All the foregoing as well as many other highly practical advantages attend the practice of my invention.

It is apparent from a consideration of the foregoing that, once my invention is disclosed, many embodiments thereof will readily occur to those skilled in the art, along with many modifications of the disclosed embodiment, all falling Within the scope and spirit of my invention. Accordingly, I intend the foregoing disclosure to be considered simply by way of illustration, and not as comprising limitations, the scope of my invention being more fully set forth in the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. For hotel room service and the like, and in combination, a transporting cart with included underframe, formed essentially of elongated elements; and a related room service heater, said heater having at least one skislide extending along the bottom of said heater from front to back and being intermedia-tely and downwardly bowed along a portion of its length and being fast at one end thereof to the bottom of said heater and serving through such bow and upon slight tilting of said heater relative to said table, to ride upwardly and over the underframe of said cart and to then lock the heater rernovably fast to the underframe of said cart.

2. For hotel room service and the like, and in combination, a transporting and serving cart with included underframe, formed essentially of elongated elements; and a related room service heater having paired ski-slides disposed in spaced relation to each other and made fast at one end of the underside of said heater, the said skislides each being intermediately and downwardly bowed along a portion of its length, said ski-slides extending longitudinally along the length of said heater from front to back and serving, upon slight tilting of the heater relative to said cart, to ride upwardly upon the downwardly bo wed portion of said ski-slides and over the underframe of said cart in the manner of an open hinge, and upon further movement of the ski-slides relative to the cart to drop and engage said underframe and lock the heater removably fast to the cart.

3. For hotel room service and the like, and in combination, a transporting and serving cart with included underframe, formed essentially of related elongated elements and a horizontal member; and a related room service heater, said heater including an angle-iron looking element at one end of the underside thereof and paired ski-slides substantially perpendicular to said element and extending along the bottom of said heater from front to back, with each said ski-slide being intermediately bowed along its length and fast to the underside of said heater at that end of said heater remote from said angle-iron, and capable, when the heater is slightly tilted, to slide upwardly upon said ski-slides and over the related elongated elements of the cart and then drop an extent sufficient for the angle-iron to engage in an open- -face manner with said horizontal member of the underframe of the cart and for the intermediate bows of the ski-slides to slip over and lock behind the related elongated elements of said underframe and thereby to remova-bly lock the heater against movement relative to the related cart.

4. In combination and for room service, a transporting cart having an underframe comprising an elongated longitudinal member terminating at at least one end thereof in outwardly and laterally flaring arms, themselves each terminating in a laterally and outwardly extending terminal arm, and a room service heater for transport on said cart, whi-ch heater has on the underside thereof, an open face locking element for removably engaging said flaring arms near their junction with the longitudinal member of said underframe, said heater also having on the underside thereof, paired and spaced, longitudinally extending ski-slides, each with included intermediate bow, cooperable with and overriding the flared arms of the underframe of the cart, to lock behind the inner faces of said flaring arms, and said heater also having an angle member, serving as a stop, depending from the front of said heater and abutting, with the heater positioned on said cart, against the outwardly facing surface of said terminal arms.

5. A portable room service heater for use with a transporting cart, said heater including, as part thereof, a plurality of spaced ski-slides made fast to the bottom of the heater and, in usual orientation of the heater, bowed downwardly therefrom and across the bottom thereof,

for a part of the horizontal extent of the ski-slides in spaced relation to the bottom of the heater and for a part of the extent of such ski-slides in close proximity to the bottom of the heater, and the ski-slides, with included intermediate bow, participating in locking the heater directly and removably fast to said transporting cart, against relative motion there/between.

6. A portable room service heater for use with a transporting cart, comprising a main compartment; paired and spaced ski-slides with included bow projecting longitudinally across the bottom of the main compartment, from back to front and spaced, over only a part of their extent from the bottom of said main compartment; and guide means also disposed at the underside of said main compartment for assisting in mounting and centering on said transporting cart and thereupon participating in removably locking the heater to the related cart.

7. A portable room service heater for use with a transporting cart, comprising a main compartment with hinged door; pair and spaced ski-slides with included bow projecting longitudinally across the bottom of the main compartment, from back to front and spaced, over only a part of their extent, from the bottom of said main com partment; guide means also disposed at the underside of said main compartment for assisting in mounting and centering on a related transporting cart and thereupon participating in removably locking the heater to said related car; and an angle member depending downwardly across the front of said heater at the bottom thereof for engaging a portion "of said cart and participating and assisting in removably locking the heater to said cart.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 98,885 3/1936 Pearson 12625 X 2,780,476 2/1957 Upchurch 28O47.24 2,940,381 6/ 1960 Cottongim et a1. 12625 X 3,008,463 11/1961 Frank 126-9 3,083,978 4/1963 Foster 296-35 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,105 2/ 1930 Australia.

1,203,952 8/ 1959 France.

FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner.

E. G. FAVORS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. FOR HOTEL ROOM SERVICE AND THE LIKE, AND IN COMBINATION, A TRANSPORTING CART WITH INCLUDED UNDERFRAME, FORMED ESSENTIALLY OF ELONGATED ELEMENTS; AND A RELATED ROOM SERVICE HEATER, SAID HEATER HAVING AT LEAST ONE SKISLIDE EXTENDING ALONG THE BOTTOM OF SAID HEATER FROM FRONT TO BACK AND BEING INTERMEDIATELY AND DOWNWARDLY BOWED ALONG A PORTION OF ITS LENGTH AND BEING FAST AT ONE END THEREOF TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID HEATER AND SERVING THROUGH SUCH BOW AND UPON SLIGHT TILTING OF SAID HEATER RELATIVE TO SAID TABLE, TO RIDE UPWARDLY AND OVER THE 